Category: Uncategorized

Atlantic Transport News – Budget News and More!

Posted on

Welcome to this special edition of Atlantic Transport News. The 2024 Federal budget was released yesterday, and it contains several positive items for Atlantic Canada. There have also been a couple of other interesting news developments of late, so let’s get right into it! Here’s what you’ll find in this edition:

BUDGET 2024: VIA RAIL LONG-DISTANCE FLEET RENEWAL GETS THE GREEN LIGHT

VIA Rail’s new trains in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor are modernizing rail travel in this busy region. With the go ahead in Budget 2024, the rest of the country should also be able to benefit from new trains over the coming decade. (PHOTO – Tim Hayman)

The 2024 Federal budget was unveiled on Tuesday, April 16, and those following VIA Rail issues were watching this one closely and with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. As highlighted by VIA and outlined in our own pre-budget submission and advocacy, this year marked a critical point for the fleet that supports all of VIA’s routes outside of the Quebec-City Windsor Corridor. With the long-haul equipment expected to meet its end of life by the early to mid-2030s, procurement for a replacement fleet needs to start now if there’s any chance it will be ready for delivery in time to avoid service cuts. VIA has done considerable work to be ready to launch this, they were just waiting on the budget approval.

With this in mind, we were extremely pleased to find this line on P. 256 of the budget document, which states: “Budget 2024 proposes to provide … New funding for VIA Rail to replace its aging fleet on routes outside the Quebec City-Windsor corridor. Funding amounts are not being released to protect the government’s negotiating position for an upcoming procurement.”

We absolutely welcome the government’s recognition that the procurement process must be started without further delay. The absence of detail at this stage is understandable, given the competitive nature of the process. As VIA launches into the formal procurement, hopefully within the coming months, we will continue to advocate the need to ensure that the outcome results in equipment that will be reliable under Canadian operating conditions, and in sufficient quantity to restore daily service between Montreal and Halifax.

Within this region, there is still the critical issue that track infrastructure in northern New Brunswick is in terrible shape and in need of substantial investment to bring it back to acceptable standards. This budget does nothing to directly address this, so we will continue to make that case.

Aside from these specific points, it is also encouraging to see the acknowledgement in the budget that “Canadians are increasingly switching to clean transportation options, and taking the train is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel across our country.” Let’s hope that the government will provide the supports needed to not only provide new trains for VIA’s services across the country, but also

BUDGET 2024: OTHER POSITIVES

The VIA Rail long distance funding wasn’t the only item in the budget worth highlighting. P. 258 features the heading “Reliable Transportation in Atlantic Canada”, and lists three items: “(1) $124.1 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, with $32.9 million in remaining amortization, to Marine Atlantic Inc. to support its continued operations and keep fares affordable; (2) $2.5 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to Transport Canada to freeze fares under the Ferry Services Contribution Program until December 2025; (3) and, $13.7 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to Transport Canada to negotiate a continued toll freeze on the Confederation Bridge in 2025 and 2026.”

The commitment to an ongoing freeze on Confederation Bridge tolls and federally supported ferry services is welcome, but it is somewhat concerning that the terminology regarding Marine Atlantic is somewhat vague, using the words “keep fares affordable” rather than “freeze fares”. It would be appropriate to remind government that the existing Marine Atlantic tariff is well above the level envisaged by the Terms of Union when Newfoundland joined Confederation 75 years ago.

We also welcome the commitment to public transit, particularly as it is being tied to housing projects, and TAA will continue to advocate for support to projects in this region under the Zero Emission Transit Fund and the Rural Transit Solutions Fund.

BEDFORD-HALIFAX FAST FERRY GETS FUNDING

Rendering of Halifax electric ferry (Halifax Regional Municipality)

In other recent news, the long discussed fast ferry project to link Bedford to downtown Halifax appears ready to set sail, as funding has been secured from all three levels of government to back the project. Pitched as a replacement for the now-abandoned commuter rail project, this ferry system has been a major part of Halifax’s rapid transit strategy, and will take advantage of the existing harbour to provide a more direct transit option to downtown, fully separated from the ever worsening traffic and congestion along the Bedford highway.

A new ferry terminal and intermodal hub will be built at Mill Cove, with a bridge across the CN rail line, and the downtown ferry terminal will be rebuilt to accommodate the new vessels. Five all-electric ferries will be built for the service, which will initially link these two terminals and may in the future be expanded to include stops at Larry Uteck and Shannon Park on the Dartmouth side of the harbour.

Now that it has the go ahead, the project is currently expected to be completed and operational in the 2027-28 fiscal year.

CHIGNECTO ISTHMUS – PROVINCES FORMALIZE PARTNERSHIP TO MOVE SOME WORK AHEAD

The provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have taken a step forward in collaboration on the badly needed Chignecto Isthmus project, with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) now in place between the two provinces.

The argument over funding continues, as noted in this article, but with the decade-long timeline for the project and every growing climate related concerns, any progress towards this work is welcome.

CAPE BRETON RAIL – PROVINCIAL SUBSIDY ENDS, BUT LIGHT RAIL TO BE STUDIED

This month saw a pair of back to back announcements related to Cape Breton’s long dormant rail line. The first was the potentially disappointing but unsurprising news that the provincial government would be ending the subsidy that had been provided to the railway owner to keep the dormant line across the island in place. The province cited the new ownership involvement from CN, and noted the lack of any clear business case that has yet been made for the investment to restore the line to operation. It seems that it will now come down to CN to provide some indication of their plans and case for the line, but there is yet considerable uncertainty about what their involvement will mean.

Immediately on the heals of this news was a rather surprising announcement that the province of Nova Scotia will be providing $600,000 in funding to Cape Breton University to complete a feasibility study for a light rail transit system for Cape Breton. Motivated by a surge in population in the Sydney area driven primarily by the university, which has resulted in the over-straining of Cape Breton’s limited transit system, this study will be looking at the potential development of a “battery-powered light-rail train service in CBRM, building on existing infrastructure and the rail corridor.” University president David Dingwall made a direct connection between the end of the subsidy and the funding for this study, stating that “the cancellation of the subsidy on the Cape Breton rail line has opened opportunities for something new in CBRM that will benefit the community for generations to come.” We will of course be watching this closely as it develops, and if there is a good case for the project, we hope the province will also follow through with funding to build and operate the system, not just the study.

CAPE BRETON TRANSPORTATION TOWNHALL

A group representing a variety of Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s leaders in transportation and economic development will be holding a town hall-style discussion on “The Impact of Transportation Costs on Life and Work in Unama’ki – Cape Breton” on May 6 at the Port of Sydney.

This public information session is designed to explore the importance of diversifying transportation systems on Cape Breton Island and will include a panel discussion highlighting the potential economic impacts, including employment opportunities, of an updated and diversified system of commercial shipping options. The session is co-hosted by the Cape Breton Partnership, Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Scotia Rail Development Society, Port of Sydney, and JA Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport.

The panel discussion will be moderated by Tyler Mattheis, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership and will focus on the need and opportunities for expanded and diversified systems for commercial shipping. Some of those opportunities could include expanded export potential, expansion of manufacturing opportunities for existing operators, and the attraction of outside investment to the Island. The panel will feature local experts on investment attraction, export, engineering, bulk shipping, and green energy.

“The CBRM, as the urban hub of Unama’ki – Cape Breton, is recognized as a key economic hub with the potential for a diverse transportation network that includes road, rail, sea, and air infrastructure,” says Tyler Mattheis. “However, without significant updates and expansion of each of these systems, the CBRM is restricted in its ability to fully contribute to a strong and growing Nova Scotia, despite the many opportunities for economic development and growth.”

“We are at a pivotal point in history where CBRM is growing, and we must continue to plan for the future,” says CBRM Mayor Amanda McDougall-Merrill. “Innovation in transportation needs to be balanced with affordability and access for all residents.”

The event will also feature a “Town Hall” discussion featuring local businesspeople who will talk about how the diversification of commercial transportation could affect their businesses as well as the lives of the residents of Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

“Our goal for hosting this event is largely public awareness and education, bringing real information and feedback directly to the public and generating discussion around the role that transportation plays in our Island’s success,” adds Megan Penney, Member Relations Coordinator of the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The event will take place on May 6, from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, at the Port of Sydney’s Pittman Hall. Many key stakeholders and partners are confirmed to attend the event, including the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Government of Nova Scotia, business leaders focused on developments in and around Sydney Harbour, and private sector businesses from across Unama’ki – Cape Breton.

To attend, please register by visiting TransportationTownHall.eventbrite.ca or contact info@cbregionalchamber.ca.

TRANSPORT ACTION CANADA AGM – APRIL 27

Transport Action Canada’s AGM will feature a guest presentation by author, historian, and archivist for the VIA Historical Association Christopher Greenlaw.

Transport Action Canada (TAC), TAA’s national affiliate, will be holding its annual general meeting on Saturday, April 27th. Your membership in TAA also provides you with membership in TAC, and both you and other interested supporters are welcome to join this year’s event either virtually or in-person in Ottawa.

In addition to the usual business, this year’s AGM will feature a guest presentation VIA Rail: A History of Connecting Canadians by author, historian, and archivist for the VIA Historical Association Christopher Greenlaw.

You can find all the details and register for the in-person or online event here.

A GLIMPSE OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN …

On a closing note for this issue, commuters on the Bedford Highway in Halifax got a glimpse this past week of what could have been if the Halifax commuter rail project had gone ahead. Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen-powered demonstrator unit was on its way back to Europe, having spent last summer operating on the Charlevoix railway in Quebec (for a report on that trial period from TAC president Terry Johnson, have a look here). The units arrived on flat cars, soon to be transferred to mafis and loaded on a ship. Poised in the yard at Rockingham during the evening rush hour, with the distinctive harbour features behind them, one could almost imagine they were rolling along with commuters on board, bound for Bedford. Perhaps one day…

A neat view in Halifax, but wouldn’t it be better if it weren’t on a flat car? (PHOTO – Tim Hayman)

Urgent Appeal: VIA Rail Long Distance Fleet Renewal

Posted on

Dear TAA Members and Followers,

VIA Rail’s services across Canada are nearing a critical point. The fleet that supports VIA’s long distance services, including the Ocean, VIA’s last remaining service in Atlantic Canada, is rapidly approaching the end of its serviceable life. If VIA is not able to launch procurement for new equipment as soon as possible, this could mean the end of all Canadian long distance passenger service in the early 2030s.

Transport Action Atlantic and our national and regional affiliates are working hard to tell the federal government that action is needed immediately.

There are two things that you can do today to help:

  1. Sign the House of Commons petition, which calls for both long distance fleet funding and other critical VIA improvements
  2. Fill out the Budget 2024 survey to voice your support for funding for VIA’s long distance fleet renewal.

Please read on below for more details on how to take action today, and please share this message with those you know who also support the future of passenger rail in this country.

As always, your support is critical to keep passenger rail on track in Atlantic Canada and beyond!

Sincerely,

Tim Hayman
President, Transport Action Atlantic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

House of Commons Petition

A campaign is underway to help VIA Rail maintain its services and increase on-time performance as well as make other improvements to ensure it can deliver sustainable rail transportation across Canada, through a petition to the House of Commons.

Created by Transport Action Canada (www.transportaction.ca), a national public transportation and passenger advocacy group (TAA’s national affiliate), the petition asks that the government ensure funding to renew VIA Rail’s long-distance fleet is provided in the 2024 federal budget, to avert service cuts in Atlantic and Western Canada.

VIA is entering a second federal budget cycle asking for funding to replace its aging long-distance fleet. Engineering reports show that the fleet is nearing the end of its serviceable life, with many cars at 70 years of age. Given the timeline for ordering and manufacturing, if funding is not provided this spring to order a new, fully accessible, modern fleet, VIA will no longer be able to provide train service beyond the Quebec-Windsor corridor by the early 2030s.

This would mean the demise of ‘The Ocean’ between Montreal and Halifax, the world-famous Toronto-Vancouver ‘The Canadian’, and all other routes that serve smaller cities, remote, and Indigenous communities across the country, as well as the tourism sector.

The public rail operator also often suffers greatly from delays beyond its control, as new CEO Mario Peloquin made clear in an op-ed in the Globe and Mail in October. VIA’s on-time performance has declined to only 60% on railways where freight trains have right of way, while it is 90% on tracks owned by VIA — unfortunately VIA only owns 3% of the tracks it runs on.

The petition therefore asks the government to restore right of way for passenger trains, as envisaged in NDP MP Taylor Bachrach’s private member’s bill C-371, to ensure passengers arrive on time and reduce the padding in train schedules, which would also result in substantial cost savings.

“It’s not just a few hours. Three whole days have been added to the time it takes to travel from Halifax to Vancouver.” says Terry Johnson, President of Transport Action Canada

Advocates are also asking that the government and transport minister Pablo Rodriguez implement several other measures to help VIA Rail provide reliable and environmentally friendly transportation from coast to coast. This would include providing VIA Rail with a legislative mandate to maintain and expand passenger rail service in Canada, which the Crown Corporation has lacked since its creation in 1978; providing for passenger and worker representation on its board of directors, which contributes to the success of other national carriers in Germany and France; and addressing outsourcing concerns by ensuring the public operator’s continued role in the High Frequency Rail project.

The petition is open for signatures until April 7th, whereupon it will be presented in Parliament, and the government will be required to table a response. The House of Commons petition can be found at: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4754.

Backgrounder – click to download

Budget 2024 Submissions

The federal government is currently accepting submissions from Canadians with their priorities ahead of Budget 2024. This is a key opportunity to provide your input and voice support for public transportation issues that matter to you.

TAA will be making a formal pre-budget submission covering both passenger rail and other key transportation issues in the region (intercity buses, ferries, and freight rail), but we also encourage you to fill out the survey to voice your support. You can access the “Let’s Talk Budget 2024” form here: https://www.letstalkbudget24.ca/let-s-talk-budget-2024

The deadline to make submissions is Feburary 9th (this Friday), so please take a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire in the coming days.

If you’re looking for guidance on your submission as it relates to VIA Rail’s long distance fleet renewal, please see the sample below from TAA’s draft budget submission. Please also add your own perspectives on why maintaining and improving passenger rail service is important to you!

The federal government needs to immediately provide the funding for VIA Rail Canada to proceed with a formal procurement process to replace the entire train fleet used on its long distance, regional and remote services. 

Critically, this funding should support an order for enough trains to provide at least daily service on long distance routes. In the case of the Ocean, this would mean sufficient equipment for 3 full trainsets (with appropriate spares). It is critical that VIA be able to use this opportunity to ensure a return to former levels of passenger rail service nationwide. 

It’s time for Canadians across the country to be provided with a rail service that is modern, reliable, sustainable, and fully accessible.

Atlantic Transport News – Summer Round-up

Posted on

Welcome back to Atlantic Transport News! We’ve been quiet through the last several months, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been lots going on, both in terms of regional transportation news developments and ongoing advocacy work from our members throughout the region.

As an all-volunteer organization, keeping these monthly newsletters going has always been a challenge, and through this summer we simply haven’t had the bandwidth to keep them going on a monthly basis. We’re always looking for help with submissions and assistance to keep these newsletters alive and going – please see the last item in this issue for more information, and consider if you or someone you know might be able to assist.

Here’s the run-down of what you’ll find in this “catch-up” issue:

VIA RAIL NEWS RECAP – NEW EQUIPMENT RFI, A NEW PRESIDENT, AND SUMMER SERVICE DISRUPTIONS

VIA 15, with its now standard bidirectional consist, approaches Moncton early in 2023. (Photo – Tim Hayman)

There has been a fair bit of news on the VIA Rail file over the past several months.

In May, the results of the testing of VIA’s HEP fleet finally came out, and the much maligned “buffer car” requirement was dropped. This had never had a significant impact on the Ocean’s current configuration, aside from restricting the ability to carry pets in the baggage car; but the need to use otherwise serviceable equipment as “buffers” had an impact on fleet availability.

At the end of April, VIA formally issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFI) to potential suppliers for its long distance fleet replacement program, marking a more formal step in this procurement. We were disappointed that the federal government did not provide funding for this much needed long distance fleet replacement in the last budget, but the fact that VIA continues to do the ground work on moving this program ahead is encouraging. Given the timeline for new

You can read more about the RFI, as well as funding that was provided for repair work on the existing HEP fleet, from Transport Action Canada here: https://www.transportaction.ca/topics/intercity-rail-and-bus/long-distance-train-fleet-replacement-rfi-issued/

Refurbishments to VIA’s HEP fleet have spruced up these cars and will keep them running a while longer; but work on a replacement fleet for these, and the Renaissance cars, needs to get moving. (Photo – Tim Hayman)

The launch of VIA’s much-anticipated and oft-delayed new reservations system continues to be pushed off. One unfortunate and unanticipated impact of this pending new system, which we discovered to great dismay earlier this year, is that all intermodal ticketing has been dropped by VIA. The new system, apparently, will not (at least initially) be able to accommodate this function, so interline ticketing with partners including Maritime Bus and the REGIM bus shuttles to Gaspé were dropped earlier this year. Even though the reservations system still hasn’t launched as of this fall, the REGIM shuttle was dropped for the entire summer. There was undoubtedly room for improvement in the intermodal partnerships, but this is a huge step backwards, and not the sort of “improvement” we hoped for with the new system.

As of June, VIA has a new president – Mario Péloquin was appointed to a 5-year term: https://www.transportaction.ca/national-news/mario-peloquin-appointed-to-lead-via-rail/

TAA is generally encouraged by Péloquin’s background and what we’ve heard about his work in the VIA c-suite so far. We extended our congratulations to him on his appointment, and have also requested a meeting when the opportunity arises. We will be sure to update if and when we have such an opportunity.

At the end of August, VIA released their second quarter report for 2023. The news was generally positive, and for the Ocean, revenues for the quarter were up 55% over the previous year, with ridership up 46.4%. This is of course in part due to the fact that the train’s frequency for much of that quarter in 2022 was still only at 2 departures each way per week, increasing back to 3/week shortly before the end of the quarter. By contrast, the train has operated at the full 3/week frequency for all of the equivalent quarter in 2023. You can read the full report here: https://media.viarail.ca/sites/default/files/publications/VIA%20Rail_Second%20Quarter%20Report%202023.pdf

One additional bit of relevant news for this region was the announcement of funding for several “heritage” stations on the VIA network, including Halifax. The exact scope of the work to be done at Halifax is not clear, though it is presumed that much of the current ongoing work to the exterior facade and interior at the station are included in this funding: https://www.transportaction.ca/national-news/via-rail-announces-80m-investment-in-heritage-stations/

Locally, the Ocean has continued to operate in its new incarnation as usual this summer. Anecdotally, ridership appears to be consistent, though capacity on the trains continues to be less than what was offered pre-2020. This summer has once again been plagued by chronic delays, as a CN track work program on the Mont-Joli sub, compounded by heat related speed restrictions, has resulted in both trains 14 and 15 experiencing delays in excess of 2 to 3 hours (and on occasion as much as 6 to 8 hours) on the regular throughout this summer. This has resulted in the loss of early connecting trains in Montreal, and frequently late evening arrivals in Halifax. These issues are no doubt made worse by the ongoing long-term slow orders along many parts of the Newcastle Subdivision, for which there is no clear remedy in sight.

Train service was disrupted a few times by extreme weather events. In July, parts of Nova Scotia received unprecedented rainfall, with a number of washouts of the rail line including a major washout between Truro and Halifax. All service on the Bedford Subdivision was curtailed for nearly a week, while CN crews worked to repair the washout. VIA service was truncated at Moncton for several trips. Though VIA provided buses for the first trains affected by this washout, passengers going beyond Moncton were left to fend for themselves on the following trips. Fortunately, Maritime Bus stepped in to offer additional buses from Moncton to help accommodate passengers, a good move on their part and something we would have hoped to see coordinated by VIA.

VIA’s pending new reservations system has severed the intermodal ticketing arrangements with Maritime Bus; but the carrier still stepped in to cover a gap for passengers when train service was disrupted. (Photo – Tim Hayman)

Further train cancellations took place in September, with the arrival of post-tropical storm Lee. CN suspended all train operations in the region on Saturday, September 16th. VIA initially indicated that trains 14 and 15 would be delayed by 24 hours to avoid the storm, but they then cancelled both trains instead. Passengers were refunded, but offered no alternate transportation.

Both of these service interruptions highlight a change in VIA policy that TAA finds particularly troubling: a shift to cancelling trains with no accommodation for passengers, aside from offering refunds and in some cases additional travel credits. VIA once had a reputation for going to great lengths to accommodate disrupted passengers, but their current attitude seems to have shifted to a “sorry, you’re on your own” approach. While it’s entirely understandable that trains sometimes have to be cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances, the new approach to customer service seems more likely than ever to leave affected passengers thinking twice about returning to the rails.

NEW TRANSPORT MINISTER

There was a major cabinet shuffle this summer, and the transport portfolio was among those in the mix. Pablo Rodriguez, former Minister of Canadian Heritage, has now assumed that role: https://www.transportaction.ca/national-news/pablo-rodriguez-takes-over-as-minister-of-transport/

PEI – FEDS TO PURCHASE NORWEGIAN FERRY REPLACE MV HOLIDAY ISLAND

The MV Fanafjord will be making its way to PEI next sprint, to replace the MV Holiday Island (Photo: LMG Marin)

After the MV Holiday Island burned last year, PEI has been borrowing a ferry from Quebec to provide a second vessel on the Caribou – Wood Islands service. In August, the federal government announced that they will be purchasing the Norwegian ferry MV Fanafjord as a replacement for the MV Holiday Island. This will allow the service to continue with two dedicated vessels starting in 2024 and until the Holiday Island replacement vessel is built and delivered, which won’t be earlier than 2028.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/minister-of-transport-announces-advance-contract-award-notice-to-acquire-an-interim-replacement-for-the-mv-holiday-island-ferry-859925599.html

CHIGNECTO ISTHMUS – SQUABBLING OVER FUNDING CONTINUES

Extreme weather events in the region this summer once again highlighted concerns about the future of the Chignecto Isthmus, and in particular, the critical road and rail corridors that cross between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia at this point. The federal government has indicated they’ll support the project, but are pointing to the need for the provinces to step in: https://www.transportaction.ca/regions/atlantic/canada-ready-to-fund-chignecto-isthmus-protection-if-provinces-match/

The provinces haven’t been on board. The latest iteration of this story has New Brunswick’s senate pushing for the federal government to shoulder the entire cost: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/chignecto-isthmus-senate-bill-1.6971212

Meanwhile, as the respective parties bicker, the isthmus remains vulnerable and major work to protect it for the future continues to be put off.

HALIFAX TRANSIT – NEXT ROUND OF SERVICE CHANGES IS MORE POSITIVE, BUT ELECTRONIC FARE PAYMENT DELAYED AGAIN

Halifax Transit has announced their next round of service changes, coming November 20, and after a series of scale backs to routes due to shortages of drivers, it seems recruitment and retention efforts are finally starting to bear some positive fruit. The new changes include several added and adjusted routes, as well as the return of many departures that were previously cancelled due to low driver availability.

https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/service-adjustments

In less positive news, the long awaited roll out of some form of electronic fare payment for Halifax Transit has been delayed once again, with no clear timeline in sight: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-transit-s-electronic-ticket-system-delayed-again-1.6946752

TRANSIT SYSTEMS AROUND THE REGION SEE CONTINUED PASSENGER GROWTH, PILOT NEW INITIATIVES

Municipal transit systems throughout the Maritimes have been continuing to see growth in passenger numbers, due to a combination of returns to pre-pandemic commuting patterns, population growth, and perhaps some shift to transit with increasing fuel prices.

St. John’s Metrobus has been struggling to keep up: https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6971117

Cape Breton Transit is adding new routes, as a boom in international students in Sydney drives high demand: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/expanded-transit-services-coming-to-cape-breton-1.6948086

Codiac Transpo ridership is up considerably over pre-pandemic levels: https://globalnews.ca/news/9726264/moncton-codiac-transpo-public-transit-increase/

Saint John continues to experiment with electric on-demand buses: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/electric-bus-on-demand-service-1.6946154

Fredericton could be closer to seeing Sunday service, with a new collective agreement with transit employees: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-transit-sunday-bus-transit-1.6898574

In PEI, the provincial and federal governments announced investments to electrify Charlottetown’s bus fleet: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/the-governments-of-canada-and-prince-edward-island-invest-in-the-expansion-and-electrification

WE NEED YOUR HELP! CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

We at TAA feel that these news updates are a useful way to keep our members and supporters updated on important transportation news in the region, and we’ve heard from folks who enjoy reading and following along. Unfortunately, this work is time consuming, and as an all-volunteer organization we are often stretched for bandwidth to keep these going, while also trying to focus on our core advocacy work.

We can always use help with this work. Do you have a particular story you’re interested in and following closely? Can you write up a short description of the issue, an update on developments, or some local perspective on what’s happening? As you can see from past issues, this doesn’t have to be lengthy or in-depth, but it always helps to have a bit of perspective from someone who has been following the issue. This doesn’t have to be a regular recurring contribution either – anything you can contribute in a given month is welcome!

We also have a publication for our membership, The Bulletin, which is focused more on longer-form content, analysis, and opinion pieces. We’re also always interested in submissions for this publications. If you’re interested, have a look at some recent past publications for ideas about what that content looks like, and please reach out if you have something you’d like to contribute.

If you have ideas for stories for either this newsletter or The Bulletin, feel free to reach out any time. You can email your stories, ideas, and any other feedback to atlantic@transportaction.ca

We are also always looking for volunteers to support our advocacy work, and to potentially join our board of directors. If that’s something you’d be interested in and feel you could contribute to, please let us know.